UT National Champ and Local Fan Favorite Peyton Stearns is Competing in the Inaugural Austin125

AUSTIN, Texas — Peyton Stearns, who led the University of Texas Longhorns to back-to-back NCAA team titles in 2021 and 2022, has announced that she will be playing in the Austin125 later this year, the inaugural WTA 125 tournament running from November 3-9, 2025 at the Austin Tennis Academy at Spanish Oaks located at 2800 Spanish Oaks Blvd.

Stearns will be joining Ajla Tomljanović, the Australian star, who recently committed to play at the Austin125. This new event will feature 32 singles players and eight doubles teams competing on outdoor courts for a week of intense competition and big moments.

The 23-year-old American, a rising tennis sensation, is currently ranked World No. 49, was a three-time All-American who became the University of Texas women’s tennis program’s first NCAA Singles champion. She has reached a career-high ranking of World No. 28 and claimed her first Hologic WTA Tour singles title in 2024 in Rabat.

In 2023, Stearns was nominated for WTA Newcomer of the Year honors after a season that included breaking out at the inaugural ATX Open where she recorded her first career WTA Tour match win and reached her first tour quarterfinal.

On playing in the capital city of Texas, Stearns said, “The biggest thing I look forward to is returning to Austin and playing in front of a home crowd. I miss that kind of atmosphere when I’m playing in other parts of the world. It really brings back the college days. How the crowd gets into it. I feel so much support and love being there. The city is amazing…just everything about Austin.”

“We are always thrilled to have Peyton back in Austin,” said Tournament Director Christo Van Rensburg. “She has played a huge role in growing the game in Texas, especially amongst young girls who want to take the next step in their tennis journeys. I would say she deserves as much credit as nearly anyone in tennis for increasing the popularity of our great game here in the Lone Star State.”

About the Austin125

The Austin125 is a brand-new event on the WTA 125 calendar. The inaugural WTA Austin125 tournament will take place Nov. 3- 9, 2025, at Austin Tennis Academy.

The tournament is one of three U.S.-based events on the WTA 125 calendar. A global field of WTA stars will compete in the 32-player singles and 8-team doubles draws. Operated by Drop Shot, LLC, the Austin125 is part of the suite of tournaments promoted by DropShot. It also includes the ATX Open and men’s and women’s ITF World Tour events in Austin. For more information on the Austin125, visit Austin125.com, @Austin125_Tennis on Instagram and X.

About DropShot

Tournament promoter, DropShot, was founded in 2019 by Bryan Sheffield, founder and CEO of Parsley Energy (which was later acquired by Pioneer Natural Resources), Managing Partner of Formentera Partners, and Co-Owner of Austin FC. DropShot’s mission is to elevate tennis in the city of Austin and give rising players an opportunity to improve their world ranking by hosting men’s and women’s ITF World Tour events.

DropShot’s crown jewel is a Hologic WTA Tour 250 tournament that debuted in 2023. In 2025, they added their newest event a WTA 125 event. For more information on Pro Tennis in Austin, visit DropShot, the tournament promoter.

About the WTA

The WTA is the original game-changer for women’s sport. Founded in 1973 by the visionary Billie Jean King, the WTA was created to build equal opportunities for women in tennis, and we’ve been breaking boundaries ever since. Today we’re the powerhouse of women’s professional sports, uniting athletes in fearless competition and bringing people together through the love of tennis. The Hologic WTA Tour shares the thrill of every serve, rally and match point with an audience of more than one billion around the world.

Players compete for PIF WTA ranking points in tournament arenas on six continents before the season hits its peak at the WTA Finals, where the best singles and doubles superstars battle to be crowned as year-end champions. Our ambitions go well beyond the court. We are champions for our 1,600 incredible athletes and drivers of change through advocacy and action for women’s health and empowerment across the globe. Rally the world: wtatennis.com.